FIG. 1 illustrates a surface mounted packaged integrated circuit known as a flatpack 10. Flatpacks frequently have a thickness on the order of 1 millimeter, although other thicknesses are also common. Flatpack 10 has leads 12 extending from the package which are soldered to conductive traces 14 on a printed circuit board 16. Traces 14 lead to other terminals, which may connect to other printed circuit boards or which may connect to leads of other integrated circuit packages on the same printed circuit board.
Flatpack 10 is a dual-flatpack with leads 12 extending out of two opposite sides of the package. Quad-flatpacks are also known where the leads extend from all four sides of the package.
When developing a circuit board containing one or more flatpacks, it is desirable to gain access to the leads of the flatpack while the flatpack is mounted on the circuit board along with other components to either detect signals at the various leads or to provide signals to the various leads. Thus, it is desirable to provide a test adapter which somehow contacts the various leads of the flatpack so as to electrically connect an external tester to the leads of the flatpack.
One known manner of connecting a tester to leads of a mounted flatpack is to use separate needle probes or other similar types of probes in contact with the flatpack leads. This is a time-consuming process. Another known adapter includes a stud which is glued to the top surface of the flatpack at precisely the center of the flatpack, using a separate frame as a centering guide. An adapter containing terminals which align with the leads of the flatpack is then secured to the package using a nut screwed onto the stud to provide downward pressure on the adapter and to keep the adapter in position. Such adapters are complicated, and it is time-consuming to connect the adapter to the leads of the flatpack. Additionally, the numerous parts increase the cost of the adapter.
What is needed is a simple and inexpensive adapter for a dual-flatpack or a quad-flatpack.